D/R DOWNLOAD 1.27

What’s Trending

01/ On Google

• ‘Tarte Dubai trip influencers’ trended +2,600% this week as a result of Tiktok users’ reactions to Tarte Cosmetics hosting 50 influencers and their plus ones on an extravagant brand trip to Dubai for the launch of a new foundation product. 

02/ With Media

• Luxury travel and lifestyle publication, Departures, launched a new exclusive travel guide column featuring the best places to eat, stay, and explore in a specific destination. 

• In addition to the mass layoffs at tech companies, publisher giant Dotdash Meredith announced it will be cutting 7 percent of its staff, toymaker Hasbro cut about 15 percent of its global workforce, and IBM, Dow, SAP, and 3M all announced significant layoffs this week. 

• This week journalists were interested in the best eco-friendly/sustainable hotels around the world, romantic Caribbean hotels, why more Americans are visiting Western Australia in 2023, and more.

03/ In The Zeitgeist

• According to a Pew Research survey, TikTok has established itself as one of the top online platforms for U.S. teens, while the share of teens who use Facebook has fallen sharply from 71% in 2014 to 32% today. 

• Influencer marketing is on the rise for 2023 with 61 percent of consumers trusting influencer recommendations compared to 38 percent who trust brand-produced content. Additionally, 60 percent of marketers said that influencer-generated content performs better and drives more engagement than branded posts.

• Netflix has teamed up with Bumble so that users can connect over popular TV shows, through the weekly in-app game called “Netflix Nights In” featuring questions about Netflix shows. The game will be available in the U.S., U.K., and Canada starting on January 30 and ending on March 13. 

• Disney is continuing their streak of live-action remakes with a revival of the classic tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. The film is set to release in 2024 and features “Wonder Woman” actress Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.

• Teachers, railway, health, and oil workers alongside over one million people in France are protesting the government’s plan to raise the retirement age to 64. 

• In celebration of sobriety, Heineken will promote its non-alcoholic beer, Heineken 0.0, in a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl in partnership with Marvel.  

Industry Insights

• American Queen Voyages has partnered with the popular PBS cooking show “America’s Test Kitchen” to spotlight the cruise line's culinary program.

• The Olympic Games Paris 2024 has just launched its first-ever hospitality program in partnership with hospitality provider On Location. The platform offers a range of hospitality products, experiences, and customizable packages to spectators of the games.

• Due to ongoing protests in Cusco, Peru, entry to Machu Picchu, the famed portion of the Andes Mountain, has been suspended until further notice. 

• France and Germany launched a promotion giving domestic and international travelers under the age of 27 free train tickets between the two countries. 30,000 tickets will be available in France and another 30,000 available in Germany during the warmest time of the year.

• American Express announced an all-new exclusive lounge in the middle of New York City complete with Michelin Star-worthy food, craft cocktails, and gorgeous views of the skyline. The lounge plans to open in March to Centurion card members. 

• According to Bloomberg’s research arm, the global clean energy investment has matched fossil fuel spending. The $1.1 trillion spent on the energy transition in 2022 roughly matched the money gone to oil, gas, and coal production.

• According to the online reservation platform OpenTable, solo dining is trending as numbers rose by 80 percent in New York City between 2014 and 2018. 

• The United States Department of Transportation announced an investigation into whether Southwest Airlines deceived travelers by scheduling more flights in late December than the carrier could handle. With 16,700 flight cancellations through the last 10 days of December,  the airline’s actions could be considered unfair and deceptive practices under federal law. 

Health-Related Updates

• Starting in February, Arizona’s Havasu Falls will allow visitors to access the reservation as well as Supai Village for the first time since March 2020. However, visitation will remain limited to protect the land and the tribe isn't currently taking new reservations in order to accommodate travelers who had reservations prior to the closure.

Best Practices

01/ The Good

• Apple released an advertisement displaying innovative features like door detection, sound recognition, voice control, and more in hopes to make everyday life easier for everyone. The advertisement spotlights people with disabilities, an underrepresented group in media and television, and emphasizes the need for accessibility through technology. 

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